This image provided by FOX-TV shows American Idol finalists Phillip Phillips, left and Jessica Sanchez taken May 17, 2012.

LOS ANGELES  LOS ANGELES – Jessica or Phillip? Phillip or Jessica?

In the end, the 2012 season of “American Idol” came down to a choice between the precociously talented Jessica Sanchez, the 16-year-old pride of Chula Vista, and rural Georgia crooner Phillip Phillips, a Dave Matthews sound-alike whose winning smile and personality made him a heavy favorite for victory.

With a record 132 million votes cast, 10 million more than for last season’s “Idol” finale, that winning smile and “aw shucks” demeanor paid off big for Phillips, 21, Wednesday night. He was named this year’s “American Idol” during a two-hour telecast at the Nokia Theater that aired live to the East Coast and was shown on a three-hour time delay on the West Coast. Sanchez came in second, despite the formidable vocal chops that captivated the nation and had “Idol’s” three judges gushing over her on an almost weekly basis.

Indeed, even in defeat, Jessica earned praise, with “Idol” judge Steven Tyler predicting that a long career for her is only one hit record away.

“She sings so beautiful,” Tyler said backstage after the show. “If the right person writes her just the right song, she’ll be on the way to forever.”

Drummer Joey Kramer, who performed with Tyler and the rest of Aerosmith near the show’s conclusion, agreed. “It doesn’t matter that she didn’t win (first place),” Kramer noted. “She won anyway.”

Phillips’ victory did not come as a surprise.

No female contestant has won “Idol” since Jordin Sparks in 2007. Phillips is the fifth consecutive cute, guitar-strumming, male Caucasian singer to win “Idol,” a distinction that has led some veteran “Idol” observers to declare the show has become the domain of WGWG (short for “White Guys With Guitars”).

Yet, even by placing second, Jessica made history.

She is the youngest Top Two “idol” finalist in the show’s history, the first of joint Filipino and Mexican heritage, and the first to advance to the finals after being voted off the show by viewers and then “saved” by the judges.

How many votes were cast for the two finalists remains unclear (the show’s producers have never released a breakdown of votes in “Idol’s” 11-year history).

What does seem clear, however, is that Jessica has a bright future beyond this summer’s “American Idol Live Tour 2012,” which includes a July 26 stop at San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center. (An in-depth report on tonight’s show will be posted here later this evening.)